


Say Goodnight

by justdk



Series: It's Always You [4]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, Homelessness, Kissing, M/M, Protective Andrew, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27906886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justdk/pseuds/justdk
Summary: Neil is used to being cold and hungry and alone. Being homeless isn’t great but it’s better than the alternative – being dead. And these days, if he’s really desperate, he can stay at Carson’s. Except Carson’s family is on vacation visiting relatives in south Florida.[short version: homeless and cold, Neil reaches out to Andrew]
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: It's Always You [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2043529
Comments: 11
Kudos: 221





	Say Goodnight

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this to answer a very old prompt set in the High School AU: Can I stay over?
> 
> For newcomers to the high school AU: Neil is a senior at a high school in Columbia and meets Andrew at a fundraiser for the high school Exy team. I’ve written several different stories set in this AU but there isn’t an ongoing story (maybe there will be someday). At this point Neil and Andrew have known each other about six months and have been dating a few months. This AU is intentionally softer than canon!

Neil is used to being cold and hungry and alone. Being homeless isn’t great but it’s better than the alternative – being dead. And these days, if he’s really desperate, he can stay at Carson’s. Except Carson’s family is on vacation visiting relatives in south Florida.

The cold cuts through Neil’s layers and he shivers in the sleeping bag, wishing that he was curled up on Carson’s floor. He has the skills to break in while the family’s gone but he’d never do that to them, and the risk is too great. If he were caught breaking and entering he’d end up in police custody and then, when they got to the business of wanting to contact a parent or guardian, well… the jig would be up. Best case scenario is that he would end up in foster care but he’d probably go to juvie. Either way he’d be on his father’s radar and his already perilous life would get even shorter.

No one knows that he’s squatting in an empty house in an abandoned subdivision, scraping by without electricity or running water. If he told Carson or Andrew then it would lead to questions he couldn’t answer. And can he really burden his best friend with that? Or his boyfriend?

Thinking about Andrew makes Neil feel a little bit warmer, makes him smile and turn his face into his pillow. He’s pretty sure that Andrew would have his back but what could Andrew do? Hide Neil in his dorm room? Smuggle him meals from the dining hall? All of that would require Neil to drop out of high school and he’s not ready to give up this slice of hard-won normalcy and safety. But maybe it would be okay for one night. It’s winter break, he has nowhere to be, nothing to do. And Andrew’s finished with finals. So maybe… 

He powers on his phone and waits a moment for his text notifications to load. He hasn’t missed much; the only people with his phone number are his coach, Carson, and Andrew. Carson has sent way too many pictures but Neil takes the time to look at each one. He looks longingly at the beach pics – Carson, Juliana, and Ezra, and their cousins posing and jumping in the waves; Carson in his rainbow swim trunks being held by a super cute lifeguard; a blurry shot of dolphins. There are more pictures from around Miami, Carson’s aunt and uncle, palm trees, pastries and coffee. Carson’s message is filled with more emojis than words but the gist is that he misses Neil and wishes he was there.

It makes Neil feel… something. There’s a sharp tug inside, happiness and hurt and longing. He’s never had friends before this year. He’s never let people get close. But now he has Carson and his family, Andrew and his crew. He’s got his team, too, a wacky and unpredictable misfit bunch who love to play Exy and have a good time. There’s none of the toxic competitiveness he witnessed at Evermore that horrific time before he went into hiding. It’s closer to his recreation days.

Neil slowly types out a reply to Carson, telling him that he misses hanging out but that he’s happy Carson and his family are having such a good time. It’s not even a lie.

His message to Andrew takes longer to compose. It still feels a bit perplexing, deciding what to text his boyfriend. Carson always tells him to be flirty but that’s not Neil, and it’s not Andrew, either. Instead they text about their days and what’s going on. By now Andrew’s accepted that Neil is not a consistent texter, that hours or even a day might go by before Neil is able to respond. He has a better reply rate when he’s in school because he can keep his phone charged. Outside of school it’s next to impossible unless he’s at Carson’s so he typically keeps his phone off.

The last text from Andrew had come in yesterday, letting Neil know that he had finished up his finals and would be attending a team dinner that evening. He also mentioned that he and his brother, his cousin, and Kevin would be staying in Columbia for most of the break. With typical Andrew casualness he writes that he would like to see Neil while he’s in town.

Neil’s elated. Of course he wants to see Andrew! He would like spend every day with him if he could. But he’s also worried that Andrew will get tired of him or that Andrew will find out about his living situation. Negotiating when and where Andrew collects him is always tricky.

But right now he’s too cold and lonely to debate for long. Maybe Andrew will let him stay for the weekend if he asks. He sends off a brief text telling Andrew he would love to get together and waits, body curled up around his phone and shivering.

The reply is almost instantaneous and, as usual, brief: _where and when?_

Neil gives a location about a mile from his house and lets Andrew know he’ll be ready in twenty minutes. He can hoof it over faster than that but he’s feeling tired and sluggish. Besides, if he takes the route through the thin suburbia woods it’ll add some time to his walk. 

He gets up and quickly takes off some layers of clothes, stashing them and his sleeping bag and pillow in his hiding space. He’s shaking from cold by the time he’s done tidying up. Grabbing his duffle bag, Neil sets out.

It’s dark, of course, and the wind is whipping through the trees. Neil wraps his arms tight around his torso and ducks his head, his breath coming out in clouds. South Carolina winters aren’t even close to the brutal cold of up north but without proper clothing they’re bad enough. Neil’s been thinking of hitting up the thrift store and getting some gloves and a scarf. Maybe next week.

Andrew’s waiting on him when Neil reaches the address he gave him. _He’s early_. Neil’s brought up short, panic setting in. Of course he’s happy to see Andrew but he’s been caught out. Andrew’s not an idiot but now he has proof that Neil’s been lying about where he lives.

Head tucked, Neil shuffles forward, his hand clamped on the strap of his duffle bag. Andrew’s leaning against the side of the car, smoking a cigarette. He stares right at Neil, his face an expressionless mask.

_Well shit_.

Neil approaches slowly. He can’t tell what Andrew’s thinking. Is he mad? Annoyed? Neil offers a small, tentative smile.

Andrew drops his smouldering cigarette and pulls Neil into his arms, rubbing his hands up and down Neil’s back. He smells like smoke and Neil instantly feels comforted.

“You need a better jacket,” Andrew says gruffly. “And a scarf.” He pulls back and takes a long look at Neil’s face before leaning in and bumping their noses together. “Icy.”

All of Neil’s anxious thoughts melt away and he crowds in closer, slipping his arms around Andrew’s waist inside of his jacket. His fingers clutch at Andrew’s soft sweater, warming up from the contact. He ducks his head and turns into Andrew’s neck, pressing his cold nose against Andrew’s warm skin.

“It’s good to see you,” Neil says, lips brushing Andrew’s throat. “I’ve missed you.”

Andrew shudders and grips Neil’s shoulders, almost as if he can’t decide whether to push Neil away or pull him closer.

“Yeah, me too.” Andrew’s voice is hoarse and he presses a quick kiss to the top of Neil’s head. “Let’s go,” he says brusquely. “It’s too fucking cold to be standing around outside.”

Neil hurries around the car and gets into the passenger seat, placing his duffle bag at his feet. The car’s still warm but Andrew turns up the heat and angles the vents towards Neil. He doesn’t ask where Neil was walking from or why he told Andrew to pick him up somewhere he clearly didn’t live.

They drive for a few minutes in silence, Neil squirming with unsaid truths, when Andrew says, “If you ever need to talk, you know you can come to me, right?”

Neil nods. He can’t say anything because his voice would betray him or he might cry. It’s so fucking hard, sometimes. And these reprieves with Andrew and Carson throw the grimness of his situation into sharper focus. He’s a runaway, a wanted person, his life forfeit if he ever gets caught. Allowing himself these moments of softness and comfort feels dangerous but he can’t help himself. 

Instead of answering Andrew, Neil reaches over and places his chilly hand onto top of Andrew’s.

“Okay,” Andrew sighs. He sounds exhausted, resigned. Neil looks out the window so Andrew won’t see the unshed tears shining in his eyes.

They walk into Andrew’s house hand and hand and Neil feels another rush of emotions when he sees Nicky, Aaron, and Kevin crowded on the couch playing video games. It’s so _normal._

“Are you hungry?” Andrew heads into the kitchen, pulling Neil along behind him.

“I could eat.”

Andrew grunts and starts going through the fridge, calling out options. Neil decides on tomato soup and watches as Andrew prepares it on the stove. Nicky pops in and grabs a Smirnoff bottle from the fridge and chats happily with Neil about all the latest gossip from both their teams. He’s not drunk yet but definitely tipsy. He goes in for a hug and Andrew points a kitchen knife at him and tells him to beat it. Nicky holds his hands up in surrender and trips out of the kitchen, nearly spilling his drink everywhere. Andrew shakes his head and Neil laughs.

Once the soup is done Andrew pours it into a bowl for Neil and sprinkles Goldfish crackers on top. It feels childish but Neil doesn’t mind. He trails behind Andrew to the living room and sits with Andrew in a nest of beanbags. They watch the others play a video game with Andrew providing snide commentary.

By the time he’s done eating Neil feels thoroughly thawed, inside and out, and sleepy. He leans against Andrew, resting his head on his shoulder, and watches the TV through half-closed eyes.

He wakes up later, his face pillowed on Andrew’s thigh, a soft blanket drawn up around his shoulders. Andrew’s fingers stroke over his hair and Neil wants to cringe away from his touch – not because he doesn’t like it, but because his hair is gross from not being washed in nearly a week.

“Sorry for falling asleep,” Neil mumbles, turning so he can look up at Andrew.

“You needed it.” Andrew touches the side of Neil’s face and rubs his thumb under Neil’s eye, tracing the dark shadows from restless nights.

“Yeah.” Neil bites his lip and summons his courage. It shouldn’t be such a big deal to ask for help but it goes against everything his mother taught him. “Andrew, can I stay over? Just for tonight. I, uh…” Neil has a list of reasons and excuses but he doesn’t need them.

“Yeah, of course.” Andrew tugs at his ear. “You know you’re welcome to stay over whenever.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Neil swallows hard and captures Andrew’s hand, bringing it down and pressing it against his chest. “You’re the best.” His heart is racing and he’s so comfortable and happy. Looking up at Andrew, taking in his face, the fall of his hair, the line of his jaw and the curve of his neck, it settles him like nothing else. _How do you say that?_ Neil wonders. _How do you tell someone what you’re feeling?_ His fingers squeeze around Andrew’s and he sighs softly.

“Can I kiss you?” Andrew asks. His voice is softer than usual, quiet. The way he’s looking at Neil sends Neil’s heart into fluttering spasms.

“Yes.”

Andrew tilts Neil’s head up, cupping his cheek in his hand, and leans down to kiss him. The first touch of Andrew’s lips is gentle, like he’s still asking for permission. Neil kisses him back, asking for more. And it’s like Neil can feel the tension easing out of Andrew in the way that Andrew responds, his kisses more certain, his touch more assertive. Neil _melts_ , all the physical closeness he didn’t even know he craved being given to him without demands or expectations. Each slow, perfect kiss builds and builds, making him feel like he’s soaring. Soaring and melting and softening, losing his edges and surrendering.

Andrew groans into his mouth. They’ve shifted during all the kissing, Neil lying on his back on the beanbags with Andrew over him, pressing him down.

“You doing okay?” Andrew asks, nuzzling against Neil’s throat.

Neil’s breath hitches and he squirms, his hands laced behind Andrew’s neck.

“I’m perfect,” Neil breathes.

“Want to go up to bed?” Andrew’s lips brush his ear and it tickles. “To sleep,” Andrew adds.

“Mmm, yeah.” Neil yawns widely, feeling his jaw pop. He feels like he’s pressing his luck but he asks, voice a whisper, “Will you hold me?”

Andrew nods and gets up. He holds his hand out and Neil takes it, slowly getting to his feet. He feels woozy, almost tipsy from the kisses and warmth and fullness. He feels like he could float right up the stairs.

The dreamy, sleepy feeling persists as they get ready for bed and climb beneath the covers. As promised, Andrew wraps an arm around Neil and lets him sleep nestled beside him. Neil’s already half asleep when he hears Andrew murmur, “Night, Neil.”

Neil falls asleep with a smile on his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on tumblr @dkafterdark


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